Modern radio networks are highly complicated systems comprising several different network components, such as base stations, base station controllers, mobile services switching centres, different transmission networks and cross-connection devices. When networks extend or capacity need increases, to build radio networks and to extend existing networks is a demanding and complex procedure that requires a great deal of planning, time and work. FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a radio system comprising a base station controller 100, cross-connection equipment 102, three base stations 104 to 108 and a network management unit 110. The base station 100 is connected by telecommunication connections 112 to the cross-connection equipment 102 to which, in turn, the base station 104 is directly connected, and to which the base stations 106 to 108 are coupled in series such that information supplied from the base station controller to the base station 108 is transmitted via the base station 106. By means of existing methods, each element is to be manually configured in situ one node at a time according to precalculated parameters and schemes. The management connection has thus to be established manually.
Typically, in digital systems information between the network elements is transmitted in frames comprising a plurality of time slots. For example in the digital GSM system a connection between a base station and a base station controller is called Abis interface. Typically, the connection is of a frame form and comprises 32 time slots transmitting traffic at a 64 kbit/s transmission rate, the total capacity thus being 2 Mbit/s. FIG. 2 illustrates an Abis interface. Each connection between a base station and a base station controller takes up some time slots from said frame. The number of time slots per a base station varies depending on the size of the base station and the traffic channel capacity.
When network elements, either cross-connection equipment or base stations, are to be added to an existing system, for example similar to the system according to FIG. 1, known remote control methods are no longer feasible. When the equipment is physically installed and connected either to an existing or built telecommunication connection with the system, the telecommunication connections between a base station and a base station controller must in detail be designed and configured at gate, time slot and partial time slot levels. As far as a network element to be installed is concerned, settings must be fixed by installation personnel in order to enable a management connection to the base station controller to be established, whereupon settings for a new base station can also be fixed from the management unit either manually or by software. Hence, to add a new element is a time-consuming and demanding procedure also susceptible to errors. In order to test a new base station and telecommunication connections allocated thereto, the base station installation personnel must communicate with the network management personnel. This requires detailed task coordination between the management unit personnel and the installation personnel so as to avoid unnecessary waiting times.